Breathing is something we all do without thinking, a natural process that gives our bodies the oxygen we need to live. Most of us breathe through our noses, which helps clean, warm, and moisten the air we take in. But for some people, this changes to mouth breathing because of certain conditions or habits they've picked up.
Many people view mouth breathing as a minor habit, yet it can significantly impact health. Although it might seem harmless, chronic mouth breathing can lead to a host of health problems.
In this article, we'll look at the top 10 reasons why mouth breathing is bad for you, showing how this small habit can greatly affect your health. However, what is mouth breathing? What causes mouth breathing? And how can you tell if you are a mouth breather?
What is Mouth Breathing?
Mouth breathing is when people primarily take in air through their mouths instead of their noses. But you might wonder, what is wrong with breathing through your mouth instead of your nose?
Well, breathing through your nose offers several benefits compared to mouth breathing. Nose hairs filter out debris like allergens and pollution, while your mouth doesn't provide this protection. The nose also moistens and warms the air, making it easier for your lungs and throat to function properly. In contrast, air taken in through the mouth is drier and cooler.
Furthermore, nasal breathing also facilitates the release of nitric oxide, a gas that plays a crucial role in enhancing oxygen uptake and improving lung function.
What Causes Mouth Breathing?
Mouth breathing typically begins in childhood and can develop due to various factors. While babies instinctively breathe through their noses, many children switch to mouth breathing at a young age, which can become a lasting habit. Here are some common causes of mouth breathing:
Nasal obstruction: Swollen adenoids and tonsils can block the nasal passages, making it difficult to breathe through the nose.
Deviated septum: A deviated septum can make it difficult to breathe through your nose.
Chronic allergies: Allergic rhinitis can cause nasal congestion, leading to mouth breathing.
High narrow palate: Children with a high, narrow palate are more prone to mouth breathing.
Tongue-tie and lip-tie: These conditions restrict tongue movement and affect proper tongue positioning.
Asthma: Lower airway issues like asthma can contribute to mouth breathing.
Environmental Factors: Overheated or poorly ventilated homes can also play a role.
Additionally, habits such as bottle-feeding, pacifier use, and thumb sucking can contribute to the development of mouth breathing in children. You can read about it here.
Some of these mouth breathing causes can be treated with medical intervention, such as a deviated septum which would require surgery. However, functional breathing exercises like the Buteyko breathing method can help stop mouth breathing habit. You should consult your doctor to find out why you are mouth breathing.
Many people who mouth breathe may not even realize they are doing it, but recognizing the signs can be crucial for addressing the issue and improving overall health. So how can you tell if you are mouth breathing?
How to Know if You Are Mouth Breathing
Recognizing whether you breathe through your mouth can be challenging, this is true particularly if it occurs during sleep. However, there are several signs that can indicate this habit:
- Dry mouth: Waking up with a dry mouth is a common indicator.
- Snoring: Frequent snoring can be a sign of mouth breathing.
- Bad breath: A dry mouth increases the risk of bad breath.
- Hoarseness: A hoarse voice in the morning may indicate mouth breathing.
- Brain fog: Difficulty concentrating or feeling mentally sluggish can be a result.
- Open-mouthed appearance: Often, mouth breathers have a slightly open-mouthed look.
- Drooling while sleeping: Mouth breathing while sleeping will often lead to drooling.
- Noisy eating: Mouth breathers may make more noise while eating due to difficulty breathing through their noses.
- Tiredness and Irritability: Feeling tired and irritable upon waking up can be a symptom.
10 Reasons Why Mouth Breathing is Bad for You
So far, you have learned that breathing through the nose is better than with the mouth. However, here are some major reasons why habitual mouth breathing is bad:
1. Decreases oxygen absorption
When you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, you might not get as much oxygen into your body. Mouth breathing skips the filtering and humidifying process that happens in your nasal passages.
Breathing through the nose enhances the ability to absorb more oxygen. This is important for maintaining healthy blood oxygen levels, which support overall health and energy levels.
Mouth breathers may have lower oxygen concentrations in their blood. This can impact your energy and concentration and even affect how well you sleep at night. Proper nasal breathing can improve your lungs' capacity to absorb oxygen.
Nitric oxide produced in the nasal passages also plays a role. It helps increase oxygen absorption and blood flow in your body. Keeping your mouth closed while breathing is beneficial for the lungs' oxygen absorption.
According to one study, nasal breathing allows your body to absorb about 18% more oxygen compared to breathing through the mouth. This makes nasal breathing more efficient and healthier.
2. Increases the likelihood of developing sleep apnea
Mouth breathing can increase your risk of developing sleep apnea. Research shows that mouth breathing alters the upper airway anatomy, making it more elongated and narrower, which increases the severity of upper airway collapse and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A study involving 52 patients found that mouth breathing is a strong determinant of OSA, even in individuals without nasal obstruction.
People with sleep apnea tend to breathe more through their mouths or a combination of mouth and nose, compared to those who only snore. There is a strong relationship between the apnea-hypopnea index (a measure of sleep apnea severity) and the amount of time spent breathing through an open mouth. Worse OSA and greater oxygen desaturation are associated with mouth breathing, as confirmed by a 2020 study.
3. Leads to snoring
Another unhealthy fact about mouth breathing is that it can significantly increase the likelihood of snoring.
When you inhale through your nose, the air passes through the nasal mucosa, stimulating reflex nerves that help regulate regular breathing patterns. Mouth breathing bypasses this process, leading to irregular breathing patterns, mouth snoring, and even sleep apnea.
In addition, during sleep, mouth breathing leads to overbreathing, which means taking in more air than the body needs. This larger breathing volume draws excessive air into the lungs, increasing the negative pressure on the upper airways. As a result, the airways cool and dry out, causing inflammation and further narrowing. This combination of excessive airflow and constricted airways creates the perfect conditions for snoring.
4. Causes bad breath
Bad breath is a common and unwelcome problem associated with mouth breathing. When you breathe through your mouth, it can dry out your oral cavity, reducing saliva production. Saliva is crucial for washing away food particles and bacteria. Without enough saliva, these particles linger and cause unpleasant odors.
Mouth breathing often occurs during sleep, especially if you have nasal congestion or other issues, leading to noticeable "morning breath." A dry mouth creates an ideal environment for bacteria that cause bad breath to thrive.
Chronic mouth breathing can result in continuous bad breath throughout the day. If you frequently struggle with halitosis, it might be due to nasal obstructions or other factors encouraging mouth breathing. Bad breath isn't always a sign of poor oral hygiene; it can be a symptom of mouth breathing.
Sleeping with your mouth open dries up saliva, allowing bacteria to proliferate and produce "morning breath," even in people with good oral hygiene. If you wake up with a dry mouth, it's likely you mouth breathe during sleep, which can also lead to plaque build-up on your teeth and tongue.
5. Results in dental issues
Apart from causing bad breath, mouth breathing can result in a bunch of other dental issues. Mouth breathing significantly impacts oral health, leading to various dental problems, especially plaque buildup.
A 2018 study compared mouth breathers to nose breathers and found that mouth breathers are at a higher risk of developing dental issues due to increased levels of dental plaque and harmful bacteria. The study revealed that mouth breathers had significantly higher Plaque Index (PI) scores compared to nose breathers.
Additionally, mouth breathers have a four times higher risk of developing elevated levels of Streptococcus mutans, a type of bacteria that causes tooth decay. These bacteria produce acids that erode tooth enamel, leading to cavities.
6. Reduces cognitive performance
Mouth breathing can also impair cognitive or brain function and energy levels. When nasal passages are blocked, individuals often resort to mouth breathing, which is less efficient and reduces oxygen intake.
A study involving 100 participants, including 50 with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), found that nasal congestion leads to increased cognitive difficulties, higher levels of fatigue, and slower cognitive processing.
Patients with CRS reported more issues with concentration and memory, and objective tests showed worse reaction times.
Furthermore, A 2021 study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigated the effects of mouth breathing on cognitive performance in 22 healthy participants. The results showed that nasal breathing led to more brain activation and connectivity, particularly in key areas involved in working memory.
This suggests that mouth breathing is less effective for cognitive tasks, as it reduces the brain's functional activity and connectivity. Therefore, maintaining proper nasal breathing is crucial for optimal brain function and overall cognitive performance.
7. Affects your posture
Mouth breathing can have significant effects on posture, particularly in children. Habitual mouth breathing alters the natural position of the head, neck, and shoulders, leading to poor postural development.
A 2018 study found that children who mouth breathe often develop poor shoulder positioning and forward head posture. This posture, necessary to draw air orally, causes further changes in the spine, leading to muscle strain and pulling the lower jaw back, which further decreases the airway. This can impact the entire body over time.
It is noteworthy to add that the study also recorded a significant improvement in forward head position and shoulder posture after adenotonsillectomy. Similar results might be achieved through upper airway development and nasal breathing training, potentially offering more sustainable benefits.
8. Speech development issues
Proper breathing with the nose is essential for speaking soundly and nasal resonance, but when you take in air through your mouth, your speech quality is poor. This is particularly true for growing children.
A 2011 study found that 76.6% of children with chronic nasal blockages suffered from dysphonia, which includes problems speaking due to anatomical disorders in the throat, mouth, tongue, or vocal cords. Additionally, more than 68% of these children.
9. Poor facial development
Yet another reason why mouth breathing is bad, especially in children, is that it can severely impact facial development.
A 2019 study of preschool children in Italy found a strong link between mouth breathing and severe dental malocclusions, such as overbite, crossbite, and open bite. The study observed that 38% of the children needed orthodontic treatment, and 46% had dental issues requiring monitoring. Only 16% of the children were completely healthy. The study concluded that mouth breathing increases as dental misalignment worsens.
Put simply, mouth breathing can lead to dental problems, facial changes, and poor facial development in kids.
Since mouth breathing is a significant risk factor for dental malocclusion, it should be corrected as early as possible to prevent further craniofacial problems. If not, it will lead to what is known as the “mouth breather” face in adults.
10. Increases risk of infections
Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose also bypasses the natural filtering system your nose provides. Your nose traps dust, pollen, and germs, keeping them from reaching your throat. Harmful particles can irritate your throat without this barrier and potentially lead to infections.
MyoTape Will Fix Your Mouth Breathing
The facts are clear; mouth breathing is bad for you and the above reasons should convince you that breathing through your nose is the way to maintain your overall health. Switching from being a mouth breather to a nose breather is not an easy task, but MyoTape is going to help you. MyoTape is a safe and innovative mouth tape designed by world-renowned breathing expert Dr. Patrick McKeown. It gently holds your lips together, training the muscles around your mouth to keep it closed, while sleeping or awake.
You can check out our range of effective mouth taping products designed for everyone, including mouth tape for kids, adults, those with sensitive skin, and even those with facial hair. Visit our online shop today to find the best MyoTape solution for you and start your journey to better, healthier breathing.
